


The Silent Sound

by SunRae21



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Eventual Romance, Fainting, Family Secrets, Fever, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Introversion, M/M, Night Terrors, Original Character(s), Selectively mute, Slice of Life, Whump, hurting, never knows when to ask for help, quiet kid at school
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28434318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunRae21/pseuds/SunRae21
Summary: In which a quiet and shy kid has more secrets that you can count.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 4





	The Silent Sound

Quiet. That was the only word that could accurately describe him. 

It was our second year in university and apparently no one had ever heard him speak before. Not even the teachers knew his name, much less any of the students. He was referred to as the letter X; an unsolvable and unknown number that didn’t have enough variables to even try to guess what his value could be. No one knew anything about him and from the way he clearly avoided people or social situations, he intended to keep it like that. 

He was always spotted alone, either looking out a window or working on something for class. Whenever approached, he would politely wait for the speaker to be done with whatever they were saying then bow deeply and leave without a reply. Therefore, people had given up trying to be social with him after our first year.

So why mention him now, when all the rumors and gossip had finally died down?

Because an unexpected uproar had started.

My name is Jackson, a second year at Silverfall University. I’m a nineteen year old student who is about as average as it gets: normal amount of friends, no enemies, a few low grades, and has a job at a local retail store. Now, I’m not one for drama, as it is known it gets messy fast, but something peaked my interest when I heard my friends talking outside the University on the first day of our sophomore year.

“Yeah apparently he’s involved with a gang or something.”

“What?!? No way man. You know he spends ninety five percent of his time in his dorm room. When the hell would he have the time to go out and randomly beat people up for money, drugs, and who knows what else?”

I raised an eyebrow at some of my best friends as I approached them, “Now what’s got you guys so talkative this early in the morning?”

Jessica, a med student who was the social butterfly of the school, turned to me, “Oh you know, just this morning's dose of drama I guess.”

Alex, my best friend since middle school, grinned, “But you’ll never guess who got this morning's tea spilt all over him.”

I shrugged my shoulders at them, “Oh no no I could never guess. I would simply make a fool out of myself.” I dramatically stated with sarcasm lacing my voice.

Jessica playfully hit my arm as she excitedly said, “It’s on X.”

I raised both eyebrows in surprise, “But I thought that guy was finally going to get a break. He’s been the talk of the school for over a year now! What’s got all the girls just physically unable to stop talking without him being at the center of it all?”

Alex clicked his tongue at me, “I guess you haven’t heard hu? It’s true: there’s this rumor going around that he recently got involved in a gang. Jake is the one spreading it, so I guess the poor guy isn’t going to live it down.”

I cringed. Jake, the school bully and popular jock who was a mastermind in practically torturing other students to the point that they want to quit school altogether. It’s said that some have even been suicidal due to the amount of harassment they received from him and his goons. I’ve known him since elementary school and we used to be friends, but he started the harassment in middle school. Luckily, I was able to find a better crowd with Alex and not become one of his lackeys. 

I sighed. X had apparently gotten on his bad side over the summer, because he is clearly the jock’s most recent target. 

“Well, I guess you’re right then. Man I hope he’s going to be okay honestly.”

My friends stared, looking for an explanation behind the sudden worry.

“It’s not like he has any friends so the bullying may be really hard on him. He clearly has no one to go to either. I just hope that things don’t escalate at all.”

They nodded in agreement.

Jessica sighed dramatically, “Well I’m tired. Let’s go get some grub before class starts yeah?”

We smiled at Jessica’s classic change of topic strategy and left to find some food.

I waved goodbye to my friends as I went to my last class. It was one of the only classes we didn’t have together: art history. It was just an extra class that fit my schedule since I finished one of my med classes a year early. Thing is, I wasn’t expecting to be seated next to one of the most “popular” guys in the whole institution.

X was already gazing out a window when I realized the seating chart put us next to each other. Since he got the window seat, that meant I was the only one physically next to him. The classroom was separated into rows with carpeted stairs in the middle. This led to the lowered floor that the teacher taught lessons on. There was a projector that allowed the class to see what he was doing while he taught, hence our capability to take notes. He also had his desk at the presenting floor, so if you needed to ask something privately, the whole class of one hundred students would know. Even though one hundred was one of the smaller class sizes, it was intimidating: the process of asking a private question. That’s why no one dared do it: because all the classrooms were set up identically to this one.

I gripped one of the straps on my bag as I sat down, nervous. No one knew what kind of guy X was and everyone who sat next to him asked to change their seat by the end of the week. Therefore, he would end up getting one of the corner seats in the top row so the teacher didn’t have to deal with a distracted class that couldn't stop staring at him.   
I guess the other teachers collaborate for a reason hu?

The class’ lecture started soon after I sat down. I was too busy trying to keep up with the teacher’s fast handwriting to pay any more attention to X, which made the class end in a flash. The bell rang in the middle of one of his sentences, causing him to have to yell a reminder to the class about homework as they rushed out of the room. My bag was giving me trouble, so it took me a little longer than usual to pack up my things before leaving. 

That’s when I noticed X hadn’t moved to gather his things and leave like the rest of the class. He was doodling on his notebook actually. I raised an eyebrow, curious as to why he wasn’t leaving yet. I shrugged as I finally got my stuff in my bag and left, noticing how I was one of the only students that were left behind by the crowd.

I went by my locker, which so happened to be near the classroom, my thoughts drifting to the rumor. 

Man he sure is a strange one. Is he really the kind of guy to be in a gang though? He doesn't really have the presence of a gangster…

“Hey Jackson!”

The call from Jessica made me look up questioningly. She was waving at me with Alex standing next to her.

“Come on man! Let’s go hang!” Alex added with a grin.

I smiled as a reply, closing my locker as I ran up to join them.

“Hey Jackson? Earth to Jackson? Jaaaaaaaaaacksoooooon? Hello?”

A pat on my shoulder caused me to jump slightly as I turned to Alex.

He stared with an eyebrow raised, “Finally! Jeez where were you in that brain of yours hu?”

My face flushed as I realized that he must have been trying to get my attention for a while now. Jessica laughed at my face as I attempted to cover it with my hands.

“Yeah Jackson, it’s not like you to space out like that on karaoke night.” Jessica added in all seriousness.

I sighed, “It’s nothing guys. Something interesting happened in my last class today is all.” I waved my hand dismissively. 

They shared a look together before turning to me again.

“Sooooo? What happened? You know we’re starving for some tea here right? Today has been so boring!” Alex exclaimed.

“Yeah Jackson just tell us. Pleeeeeeeeease?” Jessica gave her famous puppy dog eyes, clearly trying to be persuasive.

I held up my hands in surrender as they continued begging, “Fine fine. I’ll tell you.”

They grinned and pulled their chairs up closer, ready for the story.

I laughed lightly at their interest before continuing, “I bet you can’t guess who was in my art history class today.”

Their faces lit up in surprise as I grinned, “I also bet you can’t guess who one of my seatmates are.”

“No. Freaking. Way!” Jessica jumped up and down with excitement while Alex looked dumbfounded. 

See, even though we all knew about him, we apparently study a different major than X. Therefore none of us have ever had a class with him until today.

“Oh my gosh Jackson you have to be his friend!” Jessica exclaimed eagerly.

“What? Wait why?”

Alex gave me a ‘bro’ look, “You were the one saying you were concerned about him this morning bud. Looks like fate has given you a chance.”

I dropped my jaw, “Guys guys. There is no way. If the rumors are true then there’s no way he’s gonna want to be friends with me. Besides, how am I going to even start a conversation? We have nothing in common and the class is clearly going to have a lot of lectures so projects are out. He’s also not the talkative type, so the only way I’m going to keep him engaged in the conversation is if it’s talking about class or something he’s interested in; which is impossible by the way! Guys there is just no way I’m going to be able to do this.” I shrugged my shoulders in agreement with myself as their faces deflated at the simple facts that have been brought to the table.

Jessica sighed, “You won’t know until you try?” She said this in a questioning tone, clearly not ready to admit defeat even though she knew I was right.

Alex, however, put his hands up in defeat, “Well I guess you’re right. So much for having an interesting second year…” He said this in a mocking tone, grinned at my expression afterward.

I growled at him as he laughed, knowing that I couldn’t back down from a challenge. Jessica grinned and high fived Alex, not expecting him to have a strategy that would work against me even though he’s known me for two years longer than she has.

I sighed, “I guess I’ll try then…”

They cheered in victory as I pouted.

As they chose the next song I thought to myself with a smile,  
I should’ve never told them.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Was wondering if anyone would be interested in reading this story or if it sounded interesting at all... Please leave a comment and let me know! Thanks!


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